Harold Roth

Middletown Police Department — Middletown, OH

Felonious

End of Watch May 5, 1928

Age 23

Tour of Duty 2 mo

The Vigil Panel 55 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 7

Incident

Patrolman Harold Roth and Patrolman Elbert Crout were shot and mortally wounded by a man whom they surprised operating a liquor still in a gravel pit. As the officers were attempting to take the suspect into custody he grabbed Patrolman Crout's service revolver and shot both of them. The suspect was captured a short time later along with his father and another man who were with him at the time of the shooting. Both officers died from their wounds hours later. The suspect was transported to a jail in a neighboring county because of fear that he would be lynched. The next day officers were on there way back with the suspect when he suddenly jumped from the vehicle and ran. He was shot three times after he ignored orders to halt. The next day the suspect was shot and killed by a police officer in his hospital room when he tried to take the officer's service revolver away from him. Patrolman Roth had served with the Middletown Police Department for 67 days.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-D53122A8
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Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Roth served with the Middletown Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Middletown community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Roth.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Middletown Police Department

Location Middletown, OH

Platform Identity mpd.butler.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 5, 1928

Tour of Duty 2 mo

Age 23

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Offender Shot and killed

Patrolman Harold Roth is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Middletown Police Department, 5 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.5% of this agency's fallen.

Middletown Police Department

of 8 officers

62.5% Felonious

OH — Statewide

572

of 991 officers

57.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious